Arab Finance: The Egyptian government has taken steps to reduce the export of raw phosphate and promote domestic manufacturing and high-value-added downstream industries to maximize the economic value of the mineral resources, Minister of Industry Khaled Hashem said.

Speaking during a panel discussion titled “Aligning Mineral Development with Industrial Growth” on the sidelines of the fifth edition of the Egypt Mining Forum 2026, Hashem said the country has established partnerships with two companies this year to locally process manganese ore.

The collaborations aim at producing higher-concentration products, increasing exports, creating jobs, and strengthening local supply chains.

Hashem also unveiled the potential to expand intra-African trade, which currently stands at around $220 billion. The figure remains relatively limited given the continent’s 54 countries, abundant natural resources, large consumer markets, and significant import demand from outside Africa.

The minister called for greater integration among African countries in the mining and mineral industries, with countries combining their respective capabilities in workforce development, technical expertise, technology, raw materials, and manufacturing capacity to produce mineral-based products for African markets.